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Russian ambassador heckled during Toronto speech

TORONTO - Russia's ambassador to Canada was heckled today as he addressed his country's position on the crisis in Ukraine.
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Georgiy Mamedov, Russian ambassador to Canada, attends the Empire Club of Canada luncheon where he delivered a speech about 'Russia, Ukraine and Crimea -- The Russian Perspective' in Toronto on Tuesday April 22 , 2014.

TORONTO - Russia's ambassador to Canada was heckled today as he addressed his country's position on the crisis in Ukraine.

Georgiy Mamedov's speech to the Empire Club in Toronto came amid tension over Moscow's involvement in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian gunmen have seized control of government buildings to back demands for closer ties to Russia.

The Harper government has imposed sanctions against Russia and has warned that Moscow's intervention in Ukraine, which followed its annexation of Crimea, is a threat to world peace.

Mamedov said Crimea always belonged to Russia and addressed what he called the discrimination against Russians in Ukraine.

He also accused Canada of starting the "sanctions war" against Russia, adding that sanctions have never had much effect in world affairs.

As he spoke, a member of the audience held up a sign that said "Lies," while another shouted "not true," after which Mamedov pleaded with the hecklers to let him have his say.

Russia has expelled a first secretary at the Canadian embassy in Moscow in retaliation for the earlier expulsion of a Russian military attache from Ottawa.

A Canadian government source, not authorized to speak on the record, says the first secretary of the immigration section of the Canadian embassy in Moscow has been ordered out of Russia.

The move comes after Canada quietly expelled an assistant Russian defence attache earlier this month.

Sources told The Canadian Press last week that the Harper government dressed down Mamedov over the situation in Ukraine.

In Prague today, Foreign Minister John Baird said Canada will stand with NATO's eastern members in the face of aggression.